I’ve seen Original Beans shared by fellow blogger Victoria Cooksey (she writes Dark Matters Chocolate Reviews) on several occassions and each time I see her sharing them, I keep telling myself I need to get my hands on a bar. This has been going on for at least a year, and now I have finally done it!

I’m kind of confused on where Original Beans comes from. The back of the bar says it’s made in Switzerland, but they’re based out of Amsterdam according to Google Maps. They began in 2008 combining their passion for chocolate and for nature conservation. Their One Bar : One Tree program means they plant a seedling for every bar that’s purchased resulting in more than 1 million trees being planted by them in an effort to continue the growth of cacao trees and of local flora and fauna.

The back of the packaging reminds me of movie trailers where there’s a compilation of positive reviews and facts in large bold print. Though I’m a little confused by this approach of sharing this information with customers, what I do like is their mission to support women in Congo who unfortunately endure abuse and being mistreated in ways that would otherwise not be considered normal. According to Original Beans, cacao is a way out for these women from this kind of life. “The Original Beans Femmes de Virunga project aims to improve daily life for women in North Kivu, Eastern Congo. Our goal is to establish a culturally supported economic position for women within the cacao sector.”

The flavor notes listed on the packaging include cappuccino and roasted nuts. The bar certainly had a scent that reminded me of cappuccino with creaminess. The flavor was like walnuts and creamy like cappuccino with coffee notes. The chocolate melted so smoothly and quickly in my mouth, I didn’t have much time to contemplate what I was tasting. The boyfriend also tried this bar and liked it so much (cappuccino was a strong flavor for him with a subtle almond butter flavor), that he said he would eat the whole bar in one sitting. Guess I’ll be sharing the rest of this bar with him 🙂

These are my personal thoughts and experiences. I did not receive pay or any compensation for reviewing any products. Website links to articles, companies and other sources of information directly related to the topic written within the posts were included during the time of writing and the writer will not be held responsible for future changes on such website links. All images are original and the property of Time To Eat Chocolate unless specifically stated otherwise.